Saturday evening accomplished the sphere for the MLB postseason, after which Sunday sorted out some seeding and matchups. And whereas many of the questions can be can Atlanta cap off one of many extra dominating common seasons we’ve seen, or Houston flip it on as soon as once more in October, or which begin will Clayton Kershaw meltdown in (probably not however that’s what folks will say), the actual query is can the Minnesota Twins lastly justify their existence?
You understand the sordid story by now. The Twins have been swept in each postseason look they’ve made since 2004. That’s 19 years. Even the Pirates have managed to win a playoff sport in that point. The Cubs have received a complete bunch of ‘em. The Rockies, who aren’t even positive what sport they play, have received a group within the interim.
However not the Twins.
There’s a notion, held within the Bronx largely, that nothing between the coasts issues. Or at the very least nothing that occurs within the center issues. And the Twins have been Exhibit A. They roll as much as Yankee Stadium, it’s often been Yankee Stadium, and the bleacher creatures have by no means heard of anybody on their roster, which they’ll gladly boast about, after which the Twins show them proper by getting rolled for a pair nights and exiting out the again whereas holding most of their guts of their hand. Again to the land or irrelevancy that’s the central timezone, as most East coasters suppose.
We’ve referred to as for the Twins to be banned from the postseason, largely as a result of they’re a waste of everybody’s time. Positive, they’ve “earned” their spot by successful the AL Central as a result of somebody needed to. It’s the prolonged model of each workforce getting an All-Star consultant, or ensuring each child will get a Valentine’s Day card. It’s not a lot an accomplishment as filling out a type.
So listed below are the Twins, filling out a slot as soon as once more, able to hurl themselves into the wall of postseason baseball. So, can they do it? Can they’ve a lead after 9 innings in October for as soon as? Can they justify their place right here?
The excellent news is that they’re not taking part in the Yankees. That dangerous information is that they’re nonetheless taking part in a workforce from the AL East, the Toronto Blue Jays. The excellent news is that they’ll get two possibilities at residence to start out. The dangerous information is that in the event that they path early in Sport 1, they’ll be very a lot conscious of the groans and trepidation coming from the Goal Subject devoted, who can be getting heavy Invoice Murray emotions.
First they’ll should cope with a possible Cy Younger Award finalist in Kevin Gausman. However they’ll be throwing their very own starter who pitched almost as properly in Pablo Lopez. They’ll get to again that up with Sonny Grey, who can be a down-ballot Cy candidate himself. The Jays most likely have the higher lineup, however not by a big margin. The Jays haven’t been terribly good towards the higher groups this season. Whether or not the Twins qualify as that, we depart to you (3-3 report on the season).
But it surely’s playoff baseball, and extra importantly it’s the Twins, so why apply any logic to it? If something, they’re in an advantageous place. World Sequence? Pennant? These aren’t issues their followers are actually excited about. Only one win. To not have a zero subsequent to their title, one more one on a rising listing of them. Get that, finish this streak, and most everybody would go residence glad understanding they weren’t as wayward and/or incompetent as the opposite 4 groups within the remedial class of the AL Central, in addition to not carrying that stone of disgrace for one more season.
It’s maybe this October’s most epic quest.
Observe Sam on Twitter @Felsgate and on Bluesky @Felsgate.bsky.social
